All things FASHION, all things DOLLS! From following trends to creating modern clothes, it's Fashion Design 101 for the doll collector. A DIY guide for creating sophisticated clothes and accessories for the 12" fashion doll.

This is a miniature replica of a look from Vuitton's Spring 2014 collection

She holds a (stunning) real Louis Vuitton bag complete with LV lock!

This year marks the 11th edition of UNICEF-France's charity auction of dolls and original works of art created to raise money for the children of Darfour. Held in Paris at the Petit Palais, it provides a glimpse of the originality and creativity for which designers and artists here are renowned.

Lanvin by Albert Elbaz

Yulia Yanina Couture

Loewe

Authentic Loewe leather bag

Beaded red lace dress by Dolce Gabbana

Beaded tunic by Hubert Barriere for Lesage

What began as a display of rag dolls in couture outfits has clearly been expanded to include a variety of dolls handled to display a host of expressions. Though many fashion houses like Chanel, Gaultier, and Dior, adhered to the original theme (cloth dolls) by submitted items with hand drawn faces and soft, squatty bodies, others like Louis Vuitton, Gilles Dufour opted to dress Tonner, Monster High, Barbie or other commercially produced dolls. All in all there are 48 local and international fashion and accessory companies represented.

Ragdoll in exquisite Christian Dior dress

Missoni

Issey Miyake

The exhibit culminates on Dec. 2, 8pm (Paris time) at the Hotel George V with an auction in collaboration with Artcurial France and Figaro Encheres. Last year's auction drew a record €1,363,000.

Emilio Pucci

I luv Paris outfit by Gucci with matching real Gucci handbag

Jean Paul Gaultier

Monster High girls in sportscar by Rallye des Princesses

Max Chauol

Anne Fontaine

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld

Chacok

Barbie in Coco & Forget Me Not (handbag)

Leather jacket & dress by Comtoir des Cottonier

Prada

Mink trimmed vinyl cape by Paule Ka

Leather punk by Jean Claude Jitrois

Couer de Frimousses

Issey Miyake

Feather dress by Serkan Cura

Monster High in Gilles Dufour

Beaded dress under glass by Dice Kayek

Georges Hobeika

Can't make it to Paris in time? The expo has its own site: www.frimoussesdecreateurs.fr and its own free app, available in the iTunes Store. You can also bid on a doll or follow the action at www.lefigaro.fr/encheres.

just off the rue Beaubourg (near the Pompidou Center), this entity encompasses a museum with both permanent and temporary exhibitions, a marvelous store chocked with all types of dolls & accessories and a doll hospital.

The museum itself recounts the history of dolls from 1800 through 1959. Complimenting this, is a thematic temporary exhibition. Presently, thru Feb. 1, is a show dedicated to prestigious dolls and their sumptuous wardrobes created during the Napoleon III empire.

Tonner doll paradise at the museum's gift shops!!

The Musée de la Poupée is open Tues-Sat from 1-6pm except holidays. For more information consult www.museedelapoupee.com

From there, we headed downtown to see the Christmas decorations of the major department stores on Blvd. Haussmann. From early November until after New Year's Day, every year, stores here put a great deal of effort and imagination into creating winter wonderland settings animated with toys which is always a visual treat for children of all ages. This year was no different. At Galeries Lafayette we were entertained by rag dolls and teddy bears who dance, climb and entertain passers-by.

Next door at Au Printemps department store, teddy bears are busy creating a larger than life-size bejeweled Prada dress and hawking the most precious Prada handbags in bonbon colors.

Santa's working on the Prada orders this year with the help of teddy bears!

Yesterday we attended the DollExpo fair at the Novotel Est hotel. OMG!!! Everything we love under one roof! Dolls, teddy bears and miniatures!!! The highlight of that fair was being able to converse at length with one of the designers of the notorious Sybarite dolls. Sorry, we weren't allowed to take pictures of the 4 dolls on exhibit, but we did learn that from the face sculpts and makeup to the edgy clothing, everything is created and controlled in house.

Hangin' out with friends at DollExpo. The Sybarites are here too!

There was a sprawling stand complete occupied with primarily Tonner's gorgeous, dressed dolls, clothes and accessories. A few Silkstone Barbies and accessories were also available.

The miniatures were as good at it gets with stand featuring everything from Liliputian food to exquisite period furniture and everything in between. Fashion animals that we are, we were immediately drawn to a table with designer bags, luggage and desk accessories by Domino Miniatures. What appeared to be snakeskin luggage is, in effect, the skin of chicken feet or frogs, treated, dyed and glazed. The amount of detail was astounding. Mme Roche doesn't have a website, but if you email her (DominoMiniatures@gmail.com) and tell her what you want and what color you want it in, she'll make your dolly a luxury Designer treat.

Starting Nov 26 and running until Dec. 1, UNICEF's Frimouses des Createurs at the Petit Palais. In its 11th year of existence, the organizers were, once again, able to solicit the biggest names in European fashion to dress and submit a doll to this brief exhibition. Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Prada, Gaultier, Lanvin...a total of 44 dolls, each from a different will grace the sumptuous walls of this major art venue. On Dec 2 ar 8pm (Paris time), the dolls mare taken over to the Hotel George V where they will be put up for auction and sold to raise money for vacinations of children in Darfur..

This event has its own smartphone app and Facebook page where you can see many more pictures of this year's submissions. To be continued......

Monday, November 18, 2013

The must-see fashion event of the season in Paris right now is an exhibition which pays tribute to the enormous talent of Azzedine Alaia. A fashion iconic giant of the 1980s Alaïa rose to fame with his dramatic yet ultra simple silhouettes that literally melt over the body like wax. In contrast, other distinctive looks include his work with unusual materials like wire filagree embroidered into a bell shaped ball gown, felt dresses steamed into shape over the body and a cage of elastic bands assembled into a slim dress. This exhibition hosted by the Palais Galliera (Paris' other fashion museum) affords the visitor an up close and personal look at the astonishing cutting skills and intricate construction of 70 garments created by this master craftsman.

Draped dress with hoodie made famous by Grace Jones

With the support of his friend Thierry Mugler (for whom Alaia helped create his signature hour glass silhouette), the Tunisian born couturier launched his label in 1979, catering primarily to a private clientele. Though the lines of his clothes were relatively simple, the construction and sometimes choice of materials were fairly complex. Like Madame Gres before him, Alaia often resorts to the same philosophy and training he learned while studying sculpture at the Beaux Arts School in Paris.

Crocodile hide jacket

Though he loves using silk jersey and stretch fabrics to trace the lines of the woman's curves, Alaia also loves stiffer materials like leather and reptile skins which he drapes and fashions into garments with the same agility employed with lighter fabrics. On display is a jacket made of crocodile, a material we know is stiff and heavy. And yet it wraps around the body, sports a collar and is belted around the waist of the mannequin as if it were made of supple wool. His leather draped skirts could have been made from satin. A reptile bustier--fitted to the torso like a second skin--is intricately fitted together like a mosaic masterpiece. And still for another corset, Alaia borrows a technique from saddle makers to mold the leather perfectly to the body without the slightest seam.

Crocodile tail coat.

We marveled over his use of felt shaped into a curvy, flared dress without a hint of construction detailing! Of course there are those marvelous silk jersey gowns with hoods, made famous by his celebrity clients like Grace Jones, Tina Turner, and most recently Rhiana.

More of Alaia "Grace Jones" looks in the background, our girl wears the doll version in black.

The exhibit is on through January 26, 2014. Anyone coming to the French capital between now and then should make a beeline to the Palais Galliera (10, ave Pierra 1er de Serbie. Paris 16. Open Tues-Sun, except holidays, 10am-6pm. Entry 8€).

Sexy draped leather skirt made famous by Tina Turner.

FDS Style Note: for the doll fashion designer, creating clothes inspired by Alaia is an exercise in draping. The leather skirt was glued together at the side seams as explained in our post, "Leather Weather,"and the drapes literally hammered flat! I made a bow then glued it in place.

The dress started out in 2 pieces: a slim skirt and the draped hood, all cut from fine silk jersey. (Other jerseys are too thick.) A rectangle is pinned to the doll's hair, then tossed over the shoulders and gathered into a small band at the waist. I then attached that band to the waistband of the skirt. There is a bit of bulk at the waist which is why you'll need a belt to pull the dress closer to the body. The back of the hood is gathered at the base of the neck with a running stitch and secured in place. As in the case of Grace Jones when she wore this dress, the doll will need a pin to hold the hood in place over her hairdo.

Perforated Leather fashioned into an elegant gown.

All photos (except for doll overlays) courtesy of Palais Galliera.

Gown created by Alaia specifically for the Matisse Room at the Musee de l'Art Moderne.